Pregnancy Precautions: You cannot completely prevent labor before your due date (preterm labor) or most other pregnancy problems. But you can increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy by going to your appointments, following your doctor’s advice, and taking good care of yourself. You can eat well, exercise (if your doctor agrees), and make sure you drink plenty of water.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all of your appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It’s also good to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take including your pre-natal vitamins. How can you care for yourself at home?

Make sure you go to all of your prenatal appointments. At each visit, your blood pressure will be checked. Your doctor will check to see if you have protein in your urine. High blood pressure and protein in the urine are signs of preeclampsia. This condition can be dangerous for you and your baby.

Drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water. Dehydration can cause contractions. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.

Tell your doctor right away if you notice any symptoms of an infection such as:

Do not smoke. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.

Do not drink alcohol or use illegal drugs.

Follow your doctor’s directions about activity. Your doctor will let you know how much, if any, exercise you can do.

Ask your doctor whether you can have sex. If you are at risk for preterm labor, your doctor may ask you to not have sex.

Take care to prevent falls. During pregnancy, your joints are loose, and your balance is off. Sports such as bicycling, skiing, or in-line skating can increase your risk of falling. Also avoid horseback riding or motorcycle riding, water skiing, diving, parachute jumping, or scuba diving while you are pregnant.

Avoid getting very hot. Do not use saunas or hot tubs. Avoid staying out in the sun in hot weather for long periods. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to lower a high fever.

Do not take any over-the-counter or herbal medicines or supplements without talking to your doctor first.

When should you call for help?Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

You passed out (lost consciousness).

You have severe vaginal bleeding.

You have severe pain in your belly or pelvis

You have had fluid gushing or leaking from your vagina and you know or think the umbilical cord is bulging into your vagina. If this happens, immediately get down on your knees so your rear end (buttocks) is higher than your head. This will decrease the pressure on the cord until help arrives.

Call your doctor or seek immediate medical care if:

You have signs of preeclampsia, such as:

▪ Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.▪ New Vision problems (such as dimness or blurring)▪ A severe headache.

You have vaginal bleeding.

You have belly pain or cramping.

You have a fever.

You have had regular contractions (with or without pain) for an hour. This means that you have 8 or more within 1 hour or 4 or more in 20 minutes after you change your position and drink fluids.

You have sudden release of fluid from your vagina.

You have low back pain or pelvic pressure that does not go away.

You notice that your baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal.

Watch closely for any changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor at (248) 948-6900 if you have any problems.